


Can't Let Associations Bring Me Down

by Eeveelivesprite



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Biology, Chemistry, Don't Have to Know Canon, Don't Judge Me, Gay Male Character, Lab Bromance, M/M, Michael Is A Prick, This Is STUPID
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-19
Updated: 2016-06-27
Packaged: 2018-02-05 09:31:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1813663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eeveelivesprite/pseuds/Eeveelivesprite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU Prompt: High school AU, characters stuck working together on a project.<br/>When Ray becomes lab partners with the infamous school bully, his whole life comes crumbling down. He decides, since Michael Fucking Vincent Jones already kicked his ass a year ago, what more could he have to lose? So Ray brings out his rude and sarcastic side, and tries to piss Michael off, but to his surprise, something deeper is going on with Michael than having simple anger issues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Introducing Michael Fucking Vincent Jones

**AU PROMPT: HIGH SCHOOL AU, CHARACTERS STUCK WORKING TOGETHER ON A PROJECT.**

Ray Narvaez Jr. sat in the dark science classroom, as the teacher flashed something else up on the projector. A chart or something, Ray didn't really know, or care for that matter, he'd been half asleep this entire class period. He looked at it for a second, not really comprehending what was up there as he simply shrugged and went back to lying his head on his desk.

"Ray!" A high pitched voice with a recognizable English draw yanked him out of his sleep. "Aren't you worried about working with him?"

That got Ray's attention, he looked up at the projector again to try and see what the actual hell Gavin was talking about. When he did, his entire world crumbled. The "table" that was flashed up? Fucking lab partner assignments. He was lab partners with Michael Fucking Vincent Jones. Goddammit.

Michael -Fucking- Vincent Jones, or more commonly referred to as 'Michael' was notorious for being the school's single handedly most asshole of a student that anyone had ever seen. If it weren't for his straight A's and high testing scores, as well as being in advanced classes, he'd probably have been expelled four times over, Ray knows this much. Obviously choosing four times refers to the 'four times Michael nearly killed someone' or 'Mx4' as they liked to call it around school. It was probably the biggest collection of 'school events' that ever happened, which includes both Gavin and Ray totally making out at the dance the year prior, which Ray likes to state absolutely did NOT happen, Lindsay setting fire to her food in the cafeteria, which Ray didn't even know was possible, and Ryan, who was outside during break and somehow got a cow to follow him into the school, who he deemed 'Edgar' (Afterwards Edgar walked out of the school and fell into the small ditch around the back of the building). The only reason Ray would even begin thinking that was actually true about Michael is because he had been the second person Michael 'nearly-killed', yep, there he was, a victim. There were only two left in the school, counting him, as the others had better fucking parents that didn't make them try to live at a school where their grave was almost dug at.

"Fuck no!" Ray heard a voice yell from across the room, not needing to look twice to figure out who would have the balls to cuss like that in front of the teacher, Mr. Burns. "If I'm working with that prick, Barbara and Lindsay can't work together, they're best friends and it isn't fucking fair."

Mr. Burns shrugged at Michael, he could send Michael to the office for excessive swearing again, but he really didn't see any point as obviously his parents didn't care if he cussed out his teachers at school. Ray suddenly felt his face light up as everyone was looking at him, some sympathetically, and some comically. Only fitting a victim gets paired with Michael Fucking Jones, right? At least he won't try to kill you again... probably.

"The lab partners are chosen at random, and friendships or friendships separated is completely coincidental." Mr. Burns says finally, giving Michael that 'Are-you-done?' look that teachers usually pair with the words, 'I'll wait' as in 'I'll wait until you stop talking and if you don't I'm going to kill you all.'. Yet Michael's face scrunches up even tighter, making some weird expression of confusion and anger all in one and Ray didn't know if it was about him, or what Mr. Burns said, but he found out as soon as Michael responded.

"How do you fucking choose at random, you know everyone in the goddamn class, you obviously pair up the good students with their friends." Michael spat, turning to look at Ray, who responded with an over-exaggerated, defensive, "Hey!" and clasped his hand over his heart.

"Michael, after all we've been through." Ray started to fake cry a little, earning some laughs from the classroom. Ray was a people pleaser, and a comedian. Michael's eyes went the most narrow he'd ever seen, and he could tell Michael was pissed, but hey, what's new? He was always pissed.

"The school hires a magician, and we pay him two-hundred dollars to draw your names out of hat and pair you guys up." Mr. Burns said. "His name is Deal Withyour Placement, he's great at parties."

Michael scoffed as he looked back over at Ray with dead eyes. Ray decided to himself that if he was going to have to work with this asshole he didn't exactly have to be all too kind about it. He grabbed his tan backpack, the binder from his desk, and his jacket which he had threw on the back of his chair halfway through the class period; and then walked over to the empty seat next to Michael, who was now staring at him with wide eyes and raised eyebrows, a look that completely read 'what the actual fuck are you doing'. There was no rule that you had to sit with your lab partner for anything except lab days, so everyone in the class was shocked that Ray actually took the courage to get up. A couple kids were fake-praying for Ray as his gait increased. For the first time in forever, Michael was silent. Michael was silent as Ray pulled out the chair next to him and slid down in it. Michael was silent as Ray scooted the desk over so his and Michael's were touching. Michael was even silent as Ray pulled his arm around Michael's shoulder pulling him closer as Ray leaned his head onto Michael's shoulders, sarcastically smiling, saying "Well, looks like we gotta stick together now, Mikey-boy." and earning another laugh from the class. Michael was silent for most of the class actually, but Ray looked back at him occasionally, and he was always staring at him. 'He's pretty fucking strange.' Ray thought to himself, looking back at the front of the room. Eventually, after what felt like forever, the bell rang, and as Ray got up he could fell a hand latch onto his wrist, hard.

He heard shuffling as Michael got to his feet, and Ray looked at him, for once not being able to read the look on Michael's face. It was something less than rage, maybe general annoyance? Michael took a breath, before leaning towards Ray, extremely close. When their foreheads were only about an inch apart, Michael's eyes looked into his like a wolf to prey.

"Listen very closely, Mr. Narvaez," Michael started, calm and collected, and for a second Ray contemplated why he would know his last name after kicking his ass a year ago, before he realized last names were shown on the lab arrangements. "This," He moved his hand in a circular motion, making sure Ray knew he was talking about all of science class. "This does NOT make us friends under any circumstances." Michael let go of Ray's wrist, reaching into his pocket. "That being said, I don't want a shitty grade because you don't know how to do your part of conjoined work, so here." Ray looked at the little slip of paper down in his hands, it had a short seven digit code on it, written in semi-neat handwriting. He looked up at Michael again. "It's my number, asshole." Michael smirked a little before grabbing his blood red backpack off of the floor. "Text me before you lose it, moron." He muttered before walking out of the science class, Ray inhaled deeply. This semester was going to be long.


	2. The End Is Silent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray may not be a social butterfly, but you don't hand out your number to people you hate, lab partners or not, right? It has to be a set up for a prank, or maybe it's an apology. Maybe it's a bit too much to expect friends, but what about unlikely acquaintances at least?

Ray swerved around the hall to avoid encountering anyone who was in his science class, he really wasn't in the mood for discussion about what just happened, except that last part of Michael giving his phone number away which he thoroughly wanted to discuss with Gavin, or another one of his comrades. Ray silently thanked himself that nobody turned around and saw what happened in the past two minutes, and even more that Mr. Burns was distracted during the whole thing. Mr. Burns was the type of teacher you didn't want to have a personal conversation with, he was more like their other teacher, Mr. Sorola, they were extremely comical, but you didn't really want them to know about your personal life.

Ray walked up to the familiar dark blue metal of his locker and turned the dial around a full three times before starting to enter his combination. He pulled out his brown history book and opened his backpack, sliding it in next to his science spiral. He grabbed his science book and was about to stick it back into his locker when a voice called out his name from behind, causing him to drop the book on the tiled floor.

"Goddammit Geoff." Ray muttered, leaning down to pick up his book before putting it in his locker and swiftly shutting it.

"What's up my hispanic friend?" Geoff smiled, walking up to the next locker over to the right, turning the dial quickly and flinging it open. Ray raised an eyebrow, that wasn't his locker.

"Is there a reason you're going through Ryan's locker?" Ray asked calmly, swinging his backpack over his shoulder.

"He took my goddamn pencil yesterday and didn't give it back." Geoff muttered, his smile disappearing as he started emptying the locker contents onto the floor, random passersby whispered to themselves at the sight.

"Pencil cup is on the door." Ray said, chuckling a bit. Ryan had so many things magnetized to his locker door, it was easy to miss.

"Wha- Oh, thanks Ray." Geoff said grabbing every pencil out of the pencil cup and shoved it into the pocket of his black pull-over hoodie.

"How many pencils did he borrow Geoff?" Ray said, looking at all the discarded textbooks and notebooks covering the floor.

"Ah, one, but that fucker needs to be taught a lesson. So what class are you going to?"

"It's the second semester Geoff, you should know this by now." Ray scoffed, walking over to Geoff and kicking Ryan's locker shut, before turning and walking down the hall with Geoff following, leaving Ryan's school supplies all over the floor.

"Hey, I can't keep up with five goddamn schedules, okay?" Geoff smiled defensively, pushing Ray with his left hand, making him run into lockers on the other side of the locker bay.

"I only asked you to keep track of mine." Ray laughed, pushing Geoff back in response. "I'm going to history."

"Man, I'm going to science." Geoff groaned, running his hand back through his hair. "I hate that fucking class."

"Woah, heads up, new lab partner assignments today." Ray said, recalling the events that happened not even ten minutes ago.

"What, why?" Geoff asked, looking somewhat concerned.

Ray shrugged."Second semester I guess, need new partners."

Geoff sighed, muttering 'goddammit' under his breath before looking back at Ray."Who'd you get?" Ray stopped walking for a second and Geoff, who was walking a bit behind him and to his right, almost ran into him. "Woah Ray, jesus! Don't do that to a guy." He walked up next to him and tapped Ray on the shoulder a few times before Ray sighed, looked to the side and kept walking forwards. Geoff shrugged and jogged about two feet to catch up to him.

"Michael." Ray muttered kicking the ground in front of him and shoving his hands into the pockets of his unzipped jacket.

"No way." Geoff said, his voice suddenly turning deathly serious. "No fucking way."

"Fucking way." Ray said, pulling one hand out of his pocket to fix his glasses, which were sliding off of his nose.

"Did you tell Mr. Burns he's out of his fucking mind?" Geoff asked, his voice rising with obvious anger. Ray was silent as he looked at the ground, Geoff spoke up again. "You DID say something right?" Ray shrugged, he didn't expect Geoff to be the one who got worked up over it, but he also didn't know how to respond just yet, and Ray didn't even know what to think of it himself. Here's the things he actually knew about Michael,

**1\. He throws a mean punch**

**2\. He is detached from society**

**3\. He gave Ray his phone number**

if it weren't for that last one Ray would've written him off as a complete asshole, but if Michael really hated Ray as much as he originally thought, why would he give him his number. Something in Ray's equation wasn't adding up, he shook his head, telling himself he was definitely missing some pieces to the puzzle. "Ray!" Ray looked back up at Geoff. "You said SOMETHING, I know you did, tell me you did!"

Ray was silent for a moment, before he replied. "Michael did."

"What?" Geoff asked raising his eyebrows and staring at Ray, awaiting an answer.

"Oh hey, there's my classroom." Ray said, and he turned to walk into the open door of his history class.

"Ray!" Geoff yelled, about to follow him in when to one minute bell rang loudly over the intercom. "This isn't over Ray!" Geoff yelled before running off to his class.

Ray pulled out his chair near the back of the room, next to his British pal.

"Ray! We only have two classes together and you were damn near late to one of them. We just came from the same class Ray!" Gavin emphasised the word 'same' as he drew out his sentence.

"Sorry, yeah, I ran into Geoff in the hall." Ray said pulling out his history book and throwing it onto his desk.

"What?" Gavin paused a moment. "He goes to science right after us, it's impossible to see him in the hall."

"He came to break into Ryan's locker and steal all his shit." Ray smirked, zipping up his jacket as he was starting to feel cold in history class. Actually, history class was the only reason he brought a fucking jacket in the first place. Mrs. Eberle always kept her room freezing, nobody dared to ask why, but just brought coats to deal with it.

"Why's that? Don't tell me Ryan borrowed something of his again." Gavin rolled his eyes, this sort of thing had happened on more than one occasion, and Gavin wasn't sure if he was sick of it or loved it.

Ray tapped the tip of his nose, smiling. "Right on the money, Vav."

Gavin smiled for a second, then frowned. "So, Michael huh. That's a load of bollocks, that is, real sorry about that."

Ray shrugged. "I think... I think it'll be okay."

"What makes you so sure?" Gavin asked, as Mrs. Eberle walked to the front of the classroom.

"Alright class, it's Thursday, so here's what we're going to do, read chapters two through four, and afterwards answer the questions in the back in groups of two or three. It's a nice simple day and I think this'll be good since it is the start of the new semester and all." Mrs. Eberle smiled, and walked back to her desk.

Ray watched as a few kids immediately slammed their books shut and went to sit with their friends, before turning to Gavin. "He um... He gave me his number." Ray said, scratching absently at the side of his face.

"He... what?" Gavin asked, probably wondering if he heard his Puerto-Rican friend correctly.

"He gave me his number." Ray said, this time a bit stronger, as he moved his hand back into his pocket.

"He... He gave you his-" Gavin started, slowly, before Ray interrupted

"Number, yes."

Gavin was quiet for a moment, looking at Ray with the most confused look he had since Ray told him he had over 300K gamerscore on Xbox and Gavin questioned what Ray actually did with his life outside of school. Eventually he spoke up. "What are you going to do about it?"

Ray paused, looking back at what Michael said 'Text me before you lose it, moron.'. Ray flinched so hard he nearly fell out of his chair. "Wait, did he mean text him right away or when I got home?" Ray's muttered to himself. "Shit okay I'll just text him now." Ray pulled out his phone and then paused. "Wait what if he's in class. Is his phone on silent? Shit..." Ray shook his head quietly, unaware that Gavin was watching him, giving him the weirdest look. "Damn I'll just text him." Ray pulled out the piece of paper with Michael's number and added it to his contacts before typing up his message.

{Damn, lost your number, gonna need it again. -Ray}

Ray sighed, turning his phone volume all the way down until it put itself on vibrate and slipping it back into his pocket.

"What was that?" Gavin asked, which Ray figured was a better question than 'Are you okay?' but still bothered him a bit due to word choice.

"He told me to text him before I lost his number." Ray replied, shrugging.

"Why are you doing this to yourself Ray?" Gavin sighed. "You're setting yourself up to end up pissing him off, and once he blows his top it's like a bloody volcanic eruption."

"I... I think there's a reason he gave me his number that I'm not getting." Ray admitted, turning towards Gavin for some kind of reassurance, but all he got was more questioning.

"Well what did he say when he gave it to you?" Gavin asked.

"That he didn't want to fail because of me." Ray answered, closing the history book he had open as he obviously wasn't going to be doing any of that in this class period. More homework because Gavin David Free wanted to talk about the school bully. Great.

"Why do you think it isn't just that?" Gavin questioned, copying Ray's action of closing his history book.

"I'm not sure, maybe because he feels sorry for kicking my ass and wants to be friends?" Ray said sarcastically, which Gavin obviously didn't pick up on, played along, or ignored all together.

"Sounds like wishful thinking to me, chap." He said solemnly, shaking his head.

"Yeah, mayb-" Ray was about to say, but a low rumble went off and Ray pulled his phone out of his pocket. Gavin peered over his shoulder and read with him.

{Fuck, that'll take a while, seeing as it's the end of the day. Better luck next time asshole. -MJ, as if you didn't fucking know that.}

Ray was about to respond, as another text flashed onto the screen, followed by the phone vibrating in his hand.

{Also, why the hell did you sit next to me? You realize you only have to put up with my bullshit on lab days, right? No need to torture yourself on regular days, sit with your friend. -MJ}

Ray looked up at Gavin, who simply shrugged, before he texted back.

{Because, if I don't, how am I going to become your one and only friend? -Ray}

{... -MJ}

Michael Fucking Vincent Jones wasn't at school the next day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow this story took a turn I didn't expect, actually I was sitting here for about literally two hours going through and deciding whether I liked it or not. In the end though, I think I can work with this. Honestly, I just sort of put my brain on autopilot with this story. I've been sitting here all night, I've had writer's block and this might have broken it. (That, and a review I got sparked me back into writing this because it made me really happy)


	3. Why Won't School End Earlier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray doesn't get Michael Fucking Vincent Jones at all, he's an enigma and Ray's really irritated with it. If only Michael could open up like a normal person, I mean, ditching school is no way to handle your problems.

Ray groaned as the light flashed on in his room, followed by a shrill voice only his mother could use, telling him he was 'going to be late' if he didn't get out of bed. Ray was never late for school, he rode a bus, but his mom didn't let that stop her from setting a habit of getting up now. She yanked the covers off of him and pulled the pillow out from under his head before yelling at him again.

"Ray Narvaez Jr. get your ass out of bed this instant." Ray sighed, it was one of those days with her.

"Fuck, I'm up." Ray muttered, slowly sitting up and sliding out of the twin bed that was way to small for him, sleepily walking towards the dresser on the other side of the room.

"Ray I do not appreciate that kind of language in this house." His mother said sternly, clutching her wallet in her purse as she tried to see if she was missing anything.

"Then why the hell do you say it?" Ray asked, his tone changing from that of his usual jovial self into a more rude and irritated one.

"I don't have time for this." She replied, before walking out of the room, her heels making a loud clack on the wooden floor as she walked.

Ray scoffed and looked at his clothes for a minute, before deciding on an outfit. He grabbed his tuxedo print shirt, along with a pair of dark jeans, and finished it off with his custom made jacket that his friends made for him. It had the four circle-shaped lines on an Xbox light, but with a green star in the middle instead of a power symbol, which inside of that contained a joystick. They had a long running plan to start a YouTube channel called 'Achievement Hunter' (It was Jack and Geoff's idea originally.) and they were about to make their debut after school was over last year. Eventually they decided to make a bigger idea for a YouTube channel that just included Achievement Hunter after more friends became interested in joining in, which they called 'Cock-bite', which eventually became an inside joke as they made the name Rooster Teeth due to it being more family friendly.

Ray looked over at his Xbox, which was turned on, probably from the night before. Ray reached over and turned it off as he threw his cell in his jacket pocket and walked out of his room. In the kitchen he went and opened the fridge, pouring himself a glass of milk before he had to stand outside and wait for the bus. The sun was hot in Texas, and could really get to you if you didn't take care of yourself. Ray drank the glass down and left it on the counter, before walking outside to stand at the bus stop.

After standing there for around ten minutes, the small yellow bus finally trudged it's way up Ray's neighborhood. Ray was standing at the bus stop with about three other kids, who pushed him out of the way when the bus came. They all sat crowded in the same seat, right behind the bus diver. Ray muttered to himself as we walked up onto the bus, one of the kids glared at him. 'Probably a first-year.' Ray thought to himself as he slowed his gait to meet the kid's eyes.

"You're the kid who got beat up last year aren't ya?" The kid smiled a toothy smile, and the other kids were silent for a moment until they comprehended what he just said, before mimicking the previous kid's smile. Ray smirked a little, he remembered when he was that age, but then shrugged it off, thinking about how to respond.

"Yeah man, it was a fucking tragedy, you should've been here. Like Julius Caesar all over again. Good thing we're pals now, didn't work out so well for Julius Ceaser, huh?" Ray smiled at how confused they looked, when a familiar voice spoke behind him.

"Brevity is the soul of wit, Ray. Cut these kids some slack."

"Ah Lindsay, you don't usually ride the bus." Ray said, ignoring her comment as the ninth grade students looked back to see who Ray was talking to.

"Yes I do Ray, every Friday since the beginning of school." Lindsay sighed before shrugging. "So, science man, I heard."

"Obviously," Ray chuckled, taking a seat next to her until they reached Gavin's house. "You were in the class."

"Still," Lindsay said. "Really sucks."

"Eh, it won't be so bad." Ray spoke lightly, not wanting anyone else to hear him. "He gave me his number, I think he wants to apologize or something."

"What? Michael Vincent Jones- Michael -Fucking- Vincent Jones wants to apologize? That's a new one, man Ray, how late were you up?"

"Wow, you're just like Gavin, you know that L?" Ray let of an amused scoff, and pulled out his phone to check the time.

"Did he say the same thing?" She laughed a bit, half at Ray's apparent ignorance and half at her and Gavin's similarities.

"Nah, but pretty fucking close to it, y'know." Ray shrugged, leaning his head back against the fabric of the bus seat.

"Speaking of Gavin, shouldn't he have gotten on yet?" Lindsay asked, looking outside using her window seat.

"Not yet, next stop." Ray answered, grabbing his bag of the floor. "And that's my queue, it's been fun but it's time for me to head out."

"Alright Ray, peace out." Lindsay smiled as Ray walked to the back of the bus, taking a seat in the far left. He waited a moment before he saw an extemely tired-looking Gavin Free strolling down the aisle of the bus, smiling gently at Lindsay before plopping down next to Ray and leaning his head onto his shoulder.

"Ray don't move I'm going to take a kip." Gavin yawned, kicking his backpack over by Ray's towards the window of the bus. A few students, namely those who saw them kiss at the dance, started whispering to themselves.

"Man Gavin, how late were YOU up?" Ray said, stressing the word you, in responce to what Lindsay had said to him earlier, Gavin had obviously not been present, but the gesture made sense to Ray at least, and Gavin just shrugged it off as Ray being weird as usual.

"Mmm, around four in the mornin'." Gavin replied lazily, tugging on Ray's jacket. "Can I borrow this? It's bloody cold in here." He flashed his eyes open to look at Ray, who rolled his in return, before sliding the jacket off of his bony shoulders and handing it to Gavin, who slipped it on without so much as a thank you.

"I want it back before I leave." Ray stated, shrugging his right shoulder to nudge Gavin's head.

"Yeah, yeah." Gavin mumbled, before pulling the hood over his head in an attempt to block out sunlight from his vision. Gavin fell asleep after a few minutes, the bus making a low rumble that blocked out most of the conversations, making it easier for him to drift into subconsiousness.

-

When they pulled up to the school building, it was a few minutes past the bell. Ray didn't pay it any mind, they were usually late, and if it was a bus tardy teachers couldn't really do anything about it. Ray nudged Gavin a bit, who groaned in responce. "Vav, come on we're here."

"Five more minutes, Ray." Gavin whined, pulling the hood down further over his head. Ray watched as people started getting up and walking off of the bus. "Sorry Gavin," Ray said, standing up, which earned a grunt of disapproval from his sleepy friend. "Looks like the school ain't listening, come on."

Gavin took his sweet time standing up, scoffed, and walked out of the seat next to Ray, before mumbling. "Ain't?"

"We live in Texas man, cut me some slack." Ray said pushing him a bit, and grabbing the back of his hood and yanking it down. Gavin's eyes shut instantly as the sun hit them, and held his hand up to trying to block out the light. "No hoods in school, yo."

"I don't care." Gavin shrugged, following Ray as he walked down the steps of the bus. Ray waved to the driver, who waved back in return.

"You will when you're in the office, come on we're both going to be later than usual." He chuckled, opening up his schedule he kept in the side of his backpack, where one would normally keep a water bottle or something of the sort, not to say he actually didn't have a bottle of water with him, but his friends were prone to taking it for themselves when he was turned around if he kept it there, so he usually slid it into the main part of his bag instead.

"Ray do we have to?" Gavin sighed. "We could always just skip, you know?"

"I don't think so Gavvy-boy, come on, second period is first today."

"What?"

"I mean we go to second period first."

Gavin was silent for a moment. "Second... first?"

Ray smiled a bit before sighing. "Gavin you're hopeless, what's your second period class?"

"Ahh, um, Advanced English II."

"That's where you're going." Ray handed him a five dollar bill from his pocket. "Buy me something on your way to lunch today, you're closer."

Gavin shrugged. "Sure Ray." He snatched the five dollars and stuck it into the pocket of Ray's jacket.

"I want that jacket back at lunch, asshole." Ray joked, poking Gavin in the face, making him wince.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Gavin sighed, rubbing his face. "Want to hang out after school?" Gavin asked, stopping in the hall to finish his converstation before turning down another corridor, away from Ray.

"Uh, sure, if I don't get any plans before that." Ray shrugged, before patting his friend on the shoulder. "Hang in there pal, it's Friday."

Gavin nodded before walking down the hallway, sticking his hands in his pockets. He was halfway down the hall when he noticed his hand hit a small object in his pocket. He reached inside and pulled out Ray's phone. Gavin turned around and walked back though the hall, but when he got there Ray was already far out of sight.

"Well, I guess I'll just hold on to it until lunch."


	4. Author's Note

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inactive Notice

Woah my computer broke and I had to system restore it so that's fantastic and also why I've been inactive. It works okay (?) now but I'm still going to get it looked at. Sorry to everyone who has been waiting for an update on this.


	5. The End Is Silent: Partner Chapter - MICHAEL

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starts right where The End Is Silent left off, right before Why Won't School End Earlier. I'll move it back behind it later. This wasn't worth the over-year-long-wait. Sorry.
> 
> Michael makes a friend.

 

 _{Because, if I don't, how am I going to become your one and only friend? –Ray_ }

 

What the fuck was this guy’s deal?

Michael sat on the bleachers of the football stadium, quite content in skipping class instead of dealing with first day introductions from his second semester class. Or, rather, he was. Instead, his phone had buzzed in his hand with an annoying message from this prick he hated, and it might have been even worse than going to class. He sent back an ellipses as response, before immediately regretting it as it seemed idiotic, and tried to delete it before it sent. _Fuck. Missed it. So much for that._

He shoved his phone in his pocket and threw himself over the bleachers back down onto the field. The police officers that patrol the parking lot would have already left, Michael was sure, so he threw on his backpack and stalked through the field towards the parking lot, and subsequently, his car, anger hot in his veins. He needed to leave now, drive around and blow off steam, home was hell enough without him being pissed off.

He reached the car and unlocked it with his key before tearing open the back door and throwing his backpack inside. He reached a hand into his pocket before pulling out a cigarette box and fishing in for one to light.

“Going somewhere?”

Michael turned around expecting to see an officer or passing teacher, and braced himself for the lecture he was about to receive, but instead saw another student, a freshman, but that wasn’t obvious. He was shaven bald but had unkempt stubble around his chin and he reeked of smoke. Michael raised an eyebrow before responding. “Gonna stop me?”

The guy, for whatever reason, acted like this was the funniest thing he has ever heard in his life. He laughed for almost a full 20 seconds before wiping a tear from his cheek and continuing to chuckle. “You’re funny. I don’t care what you do, I was gonna ask if you had a smoke to spare.”

Michael paused before nodding and handing one over. “Smoker?”

“Gotta do something to take the edge off here.” He chirped and Michael noticed his voice was quite high pitched. “You from Jersey too?” He smiled and Michael nodded again. “Cool. Texas is a bit of a shitstain, but it serves its dues, I guess. Jersey is the real deal though. Miss it like a mother.”

Michael couldn’t relate. His only memories of Jersey that weren’t getting slapped around by other kids were getting slapped around by other adults. He simply stayed silent while the younger man lit the cigarette Michael gave him and took a huge huff of it. As he blew it out, away from Michael and towards the sky, Michael spoke. “New here?”

“Me? Nah, not new. I was here last semester, just skipped a ton. How ‘bout you?” He huffed the cigarette again.

“You don’t know who I am?” Michael asked. The man looked at him for a few seconds before shaking his head. “I would’ve figured everyone did at this point. Michael Jones?”

“Nope. Sorry. You ain’t class president or somethin’ I hope, skipping around class, fucking off before last period.”

Then it was Michael’s turn to laugh. And he did. Hard. “Class president? Ha, that would be rich. I have the record for most referrals of all time. Overshot that guy by a long shot.”

“For real? I don’t blame ya, Michael. Hey, I’m pretty sick of being here too, you wanna stop by my place and chill? I don’t have a car, y’know. I wanna go home. I got vodka.”

“You’re a freshman?” Michael questioned.

“I got parents too, dude.” He scoffed, then paused. “That a no?”

Michael raised an eyebrow. On one hand, he hadn’t ever seen this kid, and he could be some psychotic murderer, but on the other hand, he’d really like to be wasted right about now. Michael shrugged. “No cigarettes in my Mustang. What’s your name anyways?”

“Just call me Yoink. Nice to meet’cha.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this updated so late. Nobody will care about this anymore. The pairing isn't even relevant R.I.P. Ray as a Rooster Teeth employee. But whatever. Have this.


End file.
